The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 46

Luo Qingyan decided to spend some time with the merman in a coastal city.

She didn’t know whether this journey would end well or badly, so she prepared for the worst-case scenario.

Before leaving G City, she formally and carefully introduced the merman as her boyfriend to her family. They spent three harmonious days together, getting to know each other better. This put her family at ease and also served as an indirect farewell.

If everything went smoothly, that would be ideal. It would just be an ordinary trip, and she could return safely and healthily to reunite with her family, no life-or-de-parting, just pure joy.

If things didn’t go well, there was nothing she could do. In that case, her family would receive the devastating news of her terminal illness, and they might have to meet in a hospital, facing inevitable sorrow and separation, unavoidable and inescapable.

Uncertain of the outcome, she felt an inexplicable sense of solemnity.

Fortunately, the merman’s warm companionship helped her forget many worries, offering temporary peace of mind.

They traveled by high-speed rail. Though it took more time on the road, it was convenient.

The moment they stepped out of the train station and arrived in the unfamiliar city, Luo Qingyan felt refreshed and invigorated.

She had deliberated for a long time when choosing their destination. There were many coastal cities, and quite a few were close to G City, but she ultimately settled on H City, a place she had never visited before and not particularly near G City.

H City wasn’t a bustling metropolis or a popular tourist spot, but it had a stunningly beautiful bay. While other tourists might see it as just another scenic spot to briefly visit, Luo Qingyan believed the merman would love it, and that alone was reason enough.

“Let’s have lunch before heading to the hotel. I’m hungry,” Luo Qingyan said after gazing into the distance, turning to look at the merman who was about to book a ride on his phone.

“Sure, what would you like to eat?” The merman was delighted by her enthusiastic tone and paused what he was doing to glance at her.

“The local specialty here is seafood,” Luo Qingyan replied with a slight smile. “Can you eat seafood?”

“Of course. I ate seafood every day back home,” the merman said with a gentle smile. “I can even recommend some lesser-known, delicious fish.”

“Lesser-known and delicious sounds like fish humans wouldn’t normally eat. Never mind, let’s enjoy human food for now. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll have to live in the ocean and eat seafood every day? I’d miss human cuisine! After all, we live to eat delicious food!”

“You’re right. We should savor human food while we can, it’s truly amazing!”

“Let’s go! We’ll take a taxi to the food stalls, they’re a culinary paradise.”

“Alright.”

…

When they arrived at the food stalls, it was still early, so there weren’t many diners. They strolled around leisurely. Even with a large suitcase in tow, Luo Qingyan didn’t have to worry, the merman handled it, allowing her to happily focus on choosing what to eat.

A new city and different culinary options were thrilling. It took them a while to settle on the most appealing spot.

With few customers around, their food arrived quickly, and they took their time savoring each dish.

“It’s delicious!” Luo Qingyan exclaimed after taking the first bite. “So incredibly flavorful. It’s true that good food can lift your spirits.”

The little merman took a small bite, it was indeed tasty, but this time, his attention was entirely on Luo Qingyan. “More than the food being delicious, I think you’re happier because you’ve arrived in a new city.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Luo Qingyan said, taking a second bite. She had started to learn from the little merman to express herself openly and honestly, this was her truest emotion, with no need to hide. “Staying in G City, I always worried. I was afraid my illness would suddenly come to light and cause my family more pain. That pressure weighed on me, so heavily. But now that I’m here, it feels like all of that has been left behind. It’s as if dying here wouldn’t be so bad.”

The little merman suddenly grew serious. “You won’t die. I promise.”

“Oh, I’m just sharing how I feel, I’m not trying to dampen our spirits.” Luo Qingyan’s smile remained. “Being here, I really have this strong, inexplicable confidence that we can form a contract.”

“That means the bond between us is already deep. Trust yourself, and trust each other.” The little merman’s brow relaxed, and a smile spread across his lips. “You love me more than you think you do.”

“Where did you learn such smooth talk? Have you been picking up bad habits?” Luo Qingyan stared into his eyes while poking at the food in her bowl with her chopsticks. “I prefer the innocent you.”

“Innocent? I…” The little merman’s gaze wavered slightly. “I am who I am. Maybe, I’ve learned some human things, and there are some superficial changes.”

“That’s why I said you’ve learned some bad habits. Don’t just pick up random things.”

“You don’t like it? What exactly don’t you like? I’ll make a note and avoid learning those things.”

“Well, it’s hard to say. Anyway oh, suddenly I think it was nice when you didn’t understand certain things. Never mind, why should everything go according to my preferences? It’s fine as it is. Everything’s good.”

“I’ve learned that girlfriends like it when their boyfriends say sweet things, understand them better, and make them happy.”

“You don’t need to learn that!” Visions of risqué thoughts suddenly flitted through Luo Qingyan’s mind. She was afraid the little merman might pick up the wrong ideas if he kept learning indiscriminately. “Just learn about normal human life, that’s enough.”

But then she remembered the saying, “Food and sex are basic human desires.” Food ensures survival, and sex ensures the continuation of the species. Suddenly, she felt at ease, even letting those risqué thoughts swirl freely in her mind.

“Wait, no, learn whatever you want. You should experience things, after all.” She broke into a wide grin. “In this life, experience is what matters most. Besides, you’re already an adult, you can choose the life you want.”

“I was just about to ask what you’d like me to learn.” The little merman’s smile deepened. “There’s so much to learn in the human world, and I want to learn it all. Why not pick some things you like?”

“Things I like?” Luo Qingyan’s first thought went straight to those risqué ideas, but she quickly caught herself and shook her head.

“Do you not want me to learn what you like, or can’t you think of anything you like?” The little merman asked with a perfectly straight face.

“It’s not that, well, I just haven’t decided yet. You choose whatever you like best! Just like how I picked my food earlier, take your time, and you’ll eventually find what you like most right now.”

“What I like most is whatever you like.”

“Enough, enough!” Luo Qingyan took a deep breath and picked up some food from her bowl. “Little mermaid, don’t be so naive. Humans can be quite wicked.”

“There’s no little mermaid here, but here come the takoyaki!” The street food stall owner, a middle-aged woman with a playful sense of humor, had chatted with the two of them earlier when Luo Qingyan and the little merman arrived, recognizing them as tourists.

“Then where can I find a mermaid?” Luo Qingyan joked along with the owner. “The kind you can eat.”

“Oh, you want to eat a mermaid?” The owner set the plate on the table and placed a hand on her hip. “Go check out Lizhu Bay. The scenery there is like a painting, maybe mermaids love it there. But catching one to eat isn’t easy. Ah! Mermaids are so beautiful, how could you bear to eat them?”

“Maybe real mermaids look delicious?” Luo Qingyan glanced at the little merman as she said this and then chuckled. “Haha, I’d love to see how beautiful a real mermaid is.”

“Young lady, just look in the mirror and you’ll see how beautiful a mermaid is!” The owner tilted her chin up and then looked at the little merman. “Or you could look at the one across from you, a male mermaid! Anyway, they’re just beautiful, handsome, good-looking!”

Laughter and cheerful banter filled the air.

After lunch, the two took a taxi to the hotel and checked in.

Luo Qingyan kept observing the little merman’s reactions.

Although it’s perfectly normal for couples traveling together to share a room and a bed, this was their first time. Shouldn’t there be some kind of reaction? Yet, even as they entered the room to rest, the little merman remained calm and composed, showing no particular response.

Indeed, mermaids and humans are different. In this regard, mermaids seem more like fish, or perhaps beyond both humans and fish, having their own unique thoughts while remaining incredibly composed. Or maybe they just don’t overthink things.

“What’s wrong?” The little merman, who was boiling water, turned around immediately upon hearing her sigh.

“Nothing.” Luo Qingyan quickly smiled, then suddenly thought of teasing him. “It’s just, I was thinking about how we could take our relationship to the next level.”

“Next level?” The little merman tilted his head slightly. “You’re already able to enter my world. If you want to go further… we could form a contract. If you’re willing now, we can do it right away. I’m confident we’ll succeed.”

Luo Qingyan pouted. “Forming a contract sounds incredibly sacred, but you make it sound as simple and ordinary as going to the market to buy groceries.”

“It really is sacred!” The little merman walked over to Luo Qingyan, who was sitting by the window. “Once you go into the sea, you’ll understand. It might be a little different from how humans perceive sacredness, but, I’m sure you’ll feel its true essence.”

“I get it, I get it. Mermaids and humans are different, so naturally, some understandings vary. Seeing is believing, after all!”

“Want to experience it?”

“No! Not right now. Let’s wait a bit. I’m not sure.”

“Then shall we take a walk by the seaside first? At least we can soak in the atmosphere of the ocean, right?”

“Of course, let’s go!”

The weather in g City was growing colder, but H City remained warm. Even with the sea breeze, it only brought a slight chill rather than biting cold, so there were still people by the shore. However, unlike the summer crowds, it was much more convenient now, with no need to seek out secluded spots.

Little Merman held Luo Qingyan’s hand as they walked toward the sea. When he sensed her steps slowing and a hint of resistance, he immediately stopped approaching the water and began strolling leisurely along the shoreline.

“How is it? Isn’t the seaside comfortable?” Little Merman walked on the side closer to the sea, turning his head to glance at Luo Qingyan beside him. “Let me know if anything feels uncomfortable.”

“Walking by the sea is very pleasant,” Luo Qingyan replied without looking at him, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. “I didn’t expect it to be so warm here. The whole winter probably won’t get too cold, right?”

“Isn’t warmth a good thing? Your body suits warm places.” Little Merman detected a faint trace of melancholy in her tone. “Do you want to see snow?”

“Not particularly, It’s just a slight regret. Snowflakes are truly beautiful and romantic. When winter passes without snow, it feels like something’s missing. But it’s fine, when I think about it, it’s normal for southern cities not to have snow. Every region has its own climate characteristics. Since we’re here, we should embrace it. A warm winter is wonderful, isn’t it?”

“If you really want to see snow, we can go once our contract is formed.”

Luo Qingyan’s expression shifted slightly, and she lowered her eyes. Instead of responding to his words, she changed the subject: “Seeing the ocean, do you feel the urge to go back?”

“Of course,” Little Merman replied calmly, his eyes fixed on the sea, reflecting its blue hues. “It’s where I grew up, right before my eyes. I miss it quite a bit.”

“Then why don’t you go back for a visit? Right now. I’ll wait for you on the beach.” Luo Qingyan blinked as she looked at him. “But wouldn’t it be inconvenient if your clothes get wet? And this is the shallow shore, isn’t it hard to reach the deep sea? It probably takes a long time, right?”

“Have you forgotten that mermen can control water? Even if my clothes get wet, I can dry them quickly.” Little Merman shifted his gaze back to her and smiled. “Besides, once in the sea, mermen have a sort of teleportation ability. We can travel great distances in a very short time. After all, the ocean is vast.”

“Teleportation? Mermen actually possess a skill that only exists in games!” Luo Qingyan widened her eyes in astonishment. “Cars, high-speed trains, planes, they’re nothing compared to teleportation. This is something humans have always dreamed of!”

“It’s not that incredible. This ability relies on water and can only be used in the sea.”

“Even so, it’s something humans would kill for! Teleportation, being able to travel from one place to another in an instant! Wait, does it work anywhere in the sea? No fixed locations required? And how far can you teleport?”

“No fixed locations needed. The farther the distance, the longer it takes, but generally, we don’t cross something like the Pacific Ocean.”

“Wow! That’s absolutely unbeatable! Definitely a skill humans would give anything for!”

“Would you like to try it?”

“No.”

“Are you still worried that we might not be able to form a contract?”

“Let’s wait a little longer. We can talk about this another time.”

“Alright, I’ll wait for you.”